ETX business recovering after car slams into it's doors Friday

A multiple-vehicle accident caused a major delay on East Southeast Loop 323 in Tyler across from Robert E. Lee High school around 4:30 on Friday.

Tyler police say six vehicles were involved in the accident, one of which crashed into Plato's Closet. The other five vehicles remained in the median.

A van rear-ended another car, causing a domino effect.

There were employees and customers in Plato's Closet during the time of the accident.

"It was unreal," said Joe Stewart, who witnessed the crash while shopping inside the store with his wife Laura Stewart.

"I looked out the front window and there was a van coming, so I grabbed her arm trying to pull her back. She froze and that's when the van came in so I pulled her back and made sure she was okay and the kids were okay," said Joe.

Joe says the van nearly missed an employee inside the store.

"There was actually an employee by the van. Had she been there 4 or 5 seconds before, she would have gotten hit," said Joe.

Tyler police say no one inside the store was hurt, but two people who were involved in the crash were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

In the midst of the chaos in the store, Joe says he ran over to check on the driver of the van.

"When I got to the driver there were electrical lines right by his door where he couldn't get out," said Joe. "I moved all the electrical lines so he could get out of the truck. He had misplaced his hearing aid so he couldn't hear what I was saying. I was trying to tell him to stay in the vehicle until I got the power lines moved."

There was major traffic backup in all directions and eastbound traffic on the loop was rerouted. Tyler police advised drivers to avoid the area until at least 6 p.m.